Very Rare Machine Milled 10 Cash Guang Xu Zhong Bao, Bao Guang Mint Kwangtung Province 1890
ANCIENT CHINA, Qing Dynasty, Kwangtung Province
Guang Xu Zhong Bao, Machine Milled 10 Cash, Round with a square hole
Guangzhou mint, Years 1890-1899 AD
Authenticity guaranteed!
Reference: Hartill
 
Reign title: Guang Xu, AD 1875-1908
Shape Round with a square hole
 
Obverse:
Chinese ideograms
- Top to bottom:
光緒 = Guāng Xù , 10th emperor of the Qing dynasty (Manchu) 1875-1908.
- Left to right:
寶重= Bǎo Zhong, means heavy currency
 
Lettering:
      光
寶           重
       緒
 
Reverse:
In Manchu scripts, the mint name: Boo-Guwang (Canton)  當十 (Ten Cash)
Lettering:
     當
ᠪᠣᠣ        ᡤᡠᠸᠠᠩ
     十
 
 
 
Edge:
Smooth
 
 The Trial Minting by Machinery of cash coins
The construction of the Kwangtung Mint outside the City of Canton at Huang Hua T'ang commenced in 1887 and was completed in 1889. The Kwangtung Mint began trial minting by machinere of cash coins on the 26th day of the fourth moon in 1889. It was officially inaugurated on the 3rd day of the eighth moon of the same year and commened minting of the Kuang Hsu Tung Pao cash coins.
They were for general circulation at the rate of 1000 cash to one tael of silver. This was the new machin-made cash coin, but the cash coins of early issues were allowed to continue their circulation in the market. This is a new Kuang Hsu cash coin with a reduced weight of 0.8 mace was struck by the Kwangtung mint with the sanction of the Ch'ing Court in 1890 to off-set a deficit resulting from minting cash coins of 1 mace in weight by machinery in the previous year. This was the kuang Hsu Tung Pao with the Kwang mint mark of two Manchu characters on the reverse. It was valued at par with 1 mace cash coin for general circulation with other cash coins of earlier issues in the local market.
This is a new Kuang Hsu cash coin with a reduced weight of 0.8 mace was struck by the Kwangtung mint with the sanction of the Ch'ing Court in 1890 to off-set a deficit resulting from minting cash coins of 1 mace in weight by machinery in the previous year. This was the kuang Hsu Tung Pao with the Kwang mint mark of two Manchu characters on the reverse. It was valued at par with 1 mace cash coin for general circulation with other cash coins of earlier issues in the local market.